For the second season in a row the St. Louis Rams have their eye on a young wide receiver for Sam Bradford to grow with, and for the second season in a row we begin draft season with Justin Blackmon atop their pretend list. The good news for 2012 NFL Mock Draft artists is that Blackmon, a junior, is unlikely to burn them again after making the surprise decision to go back to school in the middle of 2011 draft mania.
↵Blackmon, 6’1", was incredible in 2010, grabbing 111 balls for 1782 yards and 20 touchdowns to pace Oklahoma State’s offense, and he’s been nearly as good in 2011, making 103 receptions for 15 touchdowns and 1241 yards. He was also Mel Kiper’s No. 4 prospect last week, if you like that sort of thing.
↵Brandon Lloyd, whom the Rams would love to resign, changes the calculus, but not very much—Bradford has a competent number-one wide receiver now, for the first time in his career, but a receiver his age could pay for himself for the duration of Bradford’s Rams career.